Bowen Island: the exotic island of Howe Sound
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| Round Bowen Race 2009 |
The home of movie stars, hippie retreats, and yes, the 18 mile round Bowen Island Race put on by the rockin' Bowen Island Yacht Club. But this race is well known for it's very bad weather and conditions...NOT this year!!!!!....... the biggest weather worry was running out of beer, ice, or sun tan lotion.
The Martin 242's came out in force: white martins, blue martins , red martins heck even Alan Drinkwater and his Simply Red team showed up out of the bay to use their great wed night skills to pull off a 2nd in their Divisions. We figured they were worried about navigating their way back to RVYC so they had to finish that well to follow the Norse God of sailing back to home waters. That of course would be Craig Strand who continues to be on fire this season and has now added the Bowen Island race to his string of victories (hey, would someone put a clamp on Whippet's keel and slow this guy down). Congrats to Craig and his team.
We would also like to give our sympathies to one of the Kiwi crew who will remain nameless who strained his arm while cranking the HB hand driven blender to provide tropical drinks to those who did not finish as well.
Starting late the "Water-girl" team proved they are very wily and passed nearly everyone who was ahead of them on the course to pull off a 3rd place in the 242 fleet. Never count those windsurfer chic's out. The wind did go light in a few spots but those wily folks who read it right looked very good.
Daisy wins the best dressed and best cabana umbrella award. The band was great. There was even an America's Cup boat racing (Il Moro Italy #1) . The mischievous Melges 32 provided some entertainment by breaking their main halyard, using a home made bosun's chair and winching a poor innocent young girl up the mast to lash a sail tie to the main while continuing to tack and race.
All in all one of the best Bowen Island races we have been too . It was great to see so many Martins out. Hey pass me some aloe will ya... got to work on that sunburn.
Your Roving Reporter
Bruce M.
